These cream cheese stuffed peppers are the perfect appetizer for game days and holidays! They can be made in advance and served warm or cold! Mini peppers are filled with spices, green onion, and cream cheese then topped with sharp cheddar.
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When it comes to crowding around the TV to watch the week's football games, I always want to prepare something that is easy to make ahead of time so I can enjoy the party and not miss any of the action.
These cream cheese stuffed peppers pair perfectly with my mango habanero salsa, lemon pepper wings and buffalo chicken dip for a completely fuss-free gathering.
While these peppers are great on their own, if you wanted to serve them with a sauce try an avocado crema
📖Why This Recipe Works
- While I chose to bake this recipe, these cream cheese stuffed sweet peppers can also be served chilled.
- These lightly spiced peppers have southwest flavor thanks to chili powder and cumin but aren't spicy like traditional jalapeno poppers. Simply put, they are sweet, savory, and very cheesy.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Peppers- Skip the jalapeno peppers in favor of sweet mini peppers. Most grocery stores carry them, and they are typically already bagged in quantities ranging from 12 ounces to 24 ounces.
- Cream Cheese -You can use reduced-fat cream cheese or Neufchatel cream cheese, along with shredded cheese.
- Shredded Cheese- I prefer to use sharp white cheddar but you could also use pepper jack cheese or Monterrey jack cheese. I don't recommend shredded mozzarella cheese in this recipe as it tends to get lost with all the other seasonings.
- Green Onions- Scallions add a bit of crunch to the filling. You can substitute a small amount of finely diced red onion or shallot.
- Seasonings- A splash of lemon juice for acid and brightness, smokey chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and a pinch of red pepper flakes round things out.
Hands-on prep time is relatively short. Just be sure to soften your cream cheese by leaving it out at room temperature for at least an hour. Cold cream cheese is very hard to work with.
⏲️How to Make Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers
- In general, mini peppers will not have many seeds, if any. Cut in half lengthwise and then use a spoon to hollow them out if needed.
- If you cream cheese is soft, use a spatula to combine. Otherwise you need to use a hand mixer.
- Use a spoon to stuff the peppers with the cream cheese mixture. Place the peppers on a rimmed baking sheet.
- If baking , top with a little more cheese before popping in the oven.
💭 Cold Stuffed Peppers
- To make this as a cold finger food, follow the directions except for adding all the shredded cheese to the cream cheese filling.
- When filling each pepper half, spoon it up so it is a little domed on top. Sprinkle on the fresh parsley and serve.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- These mini bell peppers are not spicy, no need to wear gloves when deveining and removing the seeds.
- Adding ground meat, like Italian sausage or ground turkey, made these cream cheese stuffed peppers too soggy. If you want to add meat try crispy bacon bits instead.
- I find it a tad bit easier to break up the cream cheese with a fork, and then once it starts to come together, I stir in the green onions.
- When filling the peppers try to overfill and then use the back of the spoon to push the filling into all the nooks and crannies. Then use the side of the spoon to scrape the top flat.
- Line the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- Let the peppers rest for 5 minutes before serving.
More Easy Appetizer Recipes
🌡️Make Ahead
Serving Cold: Colthe peppers can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance. Top with parsley just before serving.
Serving Warm: When serving warm, assemble the peppers without the cheese topping up to 24 hours in advance and place them on a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Set out at room temperature for 30 minutes and top with the extra cheese before baking.
💬Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to serve a whole pepper instead of pepper halves you can cut off the top of the pepper, i.e., the stem, and scoop out any seeds. Use a piping bag without a tip to fill.
No, mini peppers are too small to be precooked before stuffing.
Yes, you can make stuffed peppers vegan by using a dairy-free cheese and homemade cashew cream cheese
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers (Warm or Cold)
Ingredients
- 1 pound mini-sweet peppers
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 8 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese divided
- 4 green onions thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the bell peppers lengthways and remove the seeds. Do not remove the stems or cut off the tops or bottoms.1 pound mini-sweet peppers
- In a small bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, 4 ounces of the shredded cheddar, green onions, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, lemon juice, salt, and red pepper flakes.8 ounces cream cheese, 8 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese, 4 green onions, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Spoon the filling into the peppers. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.8 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese has browned. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.fresh parsley
Video
Notes
- To make in advance stuff peppers and top with cheese. Cover with plastic wrap. Sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
- To make cold cream cheese stuffed peppers follow the directions with the exception of adding all the shredded cheese to the cream cheese filling. When filling each pepper half, spoon it up so it is a little domed on top. Sprinkle on the fresh parsley and serve.
- If you skip the crushed red pepper add a ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
Jordan-Sophia Horstman says
best recipe my whole family loved it
Linda says
I love this recipe but my peppers became flat and limp after baking. Any suggestions on how to prevent that from happening again?
Jen Wooster says
If you want them crunchier I would suggest just broiling on low to melt the filling while keeping the peppers crunchy.
Sophia says
I didn't end up cutting them in half. I just cut off the top and it came out great. All the filling stayed in the peppers,and are way easier to eat too.